Well, it’s Day 217 of the year, so we’re well-beyond the halfway point.

But with the disruption to our regular annual routines this year, I think we can all be forgiven to take this (any!) moment to take stock on the year to date and think ahead to what we might like to CREATE from the remainder of 2020.

So: how’s your year been, so far?

• How pleased are you with your achievements since January?
• Which of your creations and outputs are you most proud of?
• What big decisions did you take that most moved you forward?
• Who have you helped and supported?
• Which relationships have you deepened?
• What primary mission have you progressed?

What’s your immediate stocktake say? And are you pleased with 2020 – or a little underwhelmed?

Challenge: a core ingredient to success

We’ve all had many thoughts and feelings about the current climate and the limitations we currently live life within. And perhaps you’ve noticed a few dominant themes among those thoughts?

For me, the most prominent and recurring has been the thought: I don’t want to come out of this year, look back and think (with regret): “I wish I’d done more with the time and opportunity.”

Driven by some of my deepest values of creativity, contribution, work ethic and momentum, I keep coming back to this thought, again and again. And for the most part, it’s been helpful.

And in those areas of life and work where I’ve been (quote unquote) “successful” this past 6 months or so, I’ve noticed a common ingredient: CHALLENGE

And that’s not surprising.

The human brain loves challenge and stretch: just enough to excite and engage; but not so much as to stress and overwhelm. And when we strike the right balance, we feel more alive and invigorated.

What degree of challenge and stretch is appropriate? Well, we need to find that for ourselves: no two brains are alike. So, ask yourself …

How happy am I with the level of challenge and stretch in my life, right now?

• Given everything I’m up to in life …
• Given my values and what’s most important to me …
• Given what I want this period to be about …
• Given my key projects …
• Given my major definite purpose in life …
• Given where I’d like to be …

And perhaps you’d like to conduct a quick self-assessment and think about ALL the major areas of life and work. So as a quick thought-experiment, give yourself a fulfilment score for each of the following 10 areas.

Quick-check self-assessment

Give yourself a fulfilment score out of 7 for the following:

1. Health / Physical
2. Mental / Emotional
3. Work / Career
4. Financial
5. Intellectual / Learning
6. Mission
7. Partner / Love
8. Family
9. Friends / Social
10. Spiritual

And now … What needs time and attention?

30-day challenge

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
Vincent Van Gogh

As I write this, we all have around 149 days remaining in 2020. What could we do (what couldn’t we!) with 149 days?

Well, let’s start with something a little more manageable for the human brain! Say, thirty days: a lovely piece of time to set yourself a challenge.

It’s long enough to create something deeply meaningful or to introduce a habit that can really contribute to you and your goals. And short enough that it’s not overwhelming or too much into your own future.

And it’s easily done …

1. Choose an area of life that you’d like to improve in the coming months.
2. Consider what you’d like to CREATE in that area of life.
3. Now, think of a daily practice that, over time, would really contribute to its furtherance.
4. Make this your challenge – and in a way that isn’t overly strict or impractical.
5. Write down your challenge in a message of commitment to yourself.
6. Tell at least one other person about it.
7. Start it. Tomorrow.

I love kicking-off big, meaningful and long-term outputs with 30-day challenges. They’re energising. Creative. And a productive focus to anchor us in the midst of uncertainty. Have fun with them.

Thanks for reading!

I really appreciate your readership. And if you’d like to receive new articles, as they become available and direct to your inbox, you can do that in the form below or you can subscribe here.